Which Learner Am I?

12 January 2018

Do you know which type of learner are you? Are you a visual learner, an auditory learner, a read/write learner or a kinaesthetic learner? Read to find out more about the 4 types of learning styles, along with tips and strategies that explains the most effective study techniques for each learning style.

The first type of learning style is Visual learning.

Visual learners learn by seeing and looking at visual images. If you are a visual learner, the best way to learn and digest the concepts is to study from videos, mind maps, diagrams, charts or flashcards. Highlighters and post it pad are useful for visual learners to pinpoint important information. If you are a visual learner, colour code and organize your notes by making use of highlighters and post it pad to optimize your learning.

The second type of learning style is Auditory learning.

For auditory leaners, they remember better when information is communicated to them orally, such as listening and reading out loud. Auditory learner doesn’t learn well by reading. They benefit from peer teaching in a study group or group discussion. While they are discussing questions with their friends, they are learning and processing new information that is explained to them. If you fall under this category, the way to fully utilize such learning style is to dictate your own notes through audio recording and listen to the recording repeatedly to prepare for test or exam. Alternative, you could watch videos, to understand the concepts.

The third type of learning style is Read/write learning.

For Read/write learners, they enjoy reading and writing. Rather than learning through visual aids or by hearing/speaking, they prefer to memorize and study with their own notes. Textbooks is an essential study tool for them. As this group of learners take in information by reading or writing, they grasp the concept much faster if they were to rephrase the contents in the textbook into their own words.

Lastly, there is kinaesthetic learning.

Kinaesthetic learner, also known as tactile learner learns best in a hands-on environment, whereby they remember things by doing or relying on their sense of touch. They tend to be physically active and hence, are suitable to have short study blocks with frequent breaks. Some interesting fact about kinaesthetic learner is their habit of eating chewy sweets, or moving around while studying. These might seem inappropriate, but they are able to concentrate and comprehend new information. If you tend to walk around while memorizing your notes or type your notes in desktop app like Microsoft or notepad to ingest information, you probably belong to this category.
Each type of learner uses different study techniques to retain information. Explore the 4 learning styles, discover your preferred learning style and build upon it to maximize your learning. In this way, you can fare in your studies by using the methods most suited to your way of learning.